Environmental activism and advocacy - Environmental Reform in the Information Age - page 209

Table 8.2. Trustworthy sources of environmental information
in EU 15 (in percentage of respondents) 21

1992 ∗∗∗ 1995 1999 2002 2004

Environmental protection
associations

63% 63% 51% 48% 42%

Scientists 50% 51% 37% 32% 35%

Television ∗ 23% 24% 27% 18% 26%

Green political parties - - 11% 10% 12%

EU - - - 13% 10%

National governments ∗∗ 12% 13% 9% 12% 11%

Companies 4% 2% 2% 1% 2%

∗ In 1992, 1995 and 1999 the category was media.
∗∗ For 1992, 1995 and 1999 the category was public authorities.
∗∗∗ EU 12.
Source: Eurobarometer.

heavily on science (or what Castells [ 1997a : 123] calls a science-based
movement), it has to cope with the structural uncertainties in infor-
mation and the disenchantment with science that characterises global
modernity. Wright ( 2004 ), for instance, points to the fact that prob-
lems faced by conventional governmental actors in information man-
agement are equally relevant for environmental NGOs and activists.
Excess of the volume of information, uncertainty on the reliability of
information and knowledge, and chaos in the organization of informa-
tion flows seem to challenge the configurations of power in the internal
and external environment of NGOs. This is illustrated by Grignou and
Patou's ( 2004 ) analysis of Internet use by ATTAC. 22

21

Sources: European Commission ( 2005 ), The Attitudes of European Citizens
towards Environment , Special Eurobarometer 217, Brussels: DG Press and
Communication; European Commission ( 2002 ), “The Attitudes of European
Citizens towards Environment”, Official Journal of the European Communities
L242/1; European Commission ( 1999 ), Environnement? Ce que les Européens
en pensent , Eurobarometer 51.1, Brussels: DG XI/DG X; European
Commission ( 1995 ), Europeans and the Environment , Eurobarometer 43.1
bis, Brussels: DG XI; European Commission ( 1992 ), Europeans and the
Environment , Eurobarometer 37.0, Brussels: DG XI. The questions and
categories have not remained exactly the same throughout the years.

22

ATTAC stands for Association for the Taxation of Financial Transactions for
the Aid of Citizens, was established in 1998 in France, and grew rapidly to an
international movement.